Engine cover assembly for watercraft

ABSTRACT

A watercraft of the type having an engine access opening for accessing an engine compartment concealed therein. The watercraft comprises an engine cover operatively connected to the watercraft, so as to be displaceable between an engine cover closed position, and an engine cover opened position for allowing access to the engine access opening. The engine cover has a first cover opening and a second opening for accessing the engine access opening. A first door and a second door are operatively connected to the engine cover, so as to each be displaceable between a door closed position in which the doors shut a respective one of the cover openings in the engine cover, and a door opened position in which the doors are away from the respective cover openings for allowing access to the engine access opening.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to watercraft and, more particularly, to a storage compartment configuration at the engine cover of the watercraft.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the nautical industry, watercraft propelled by deck-concealed engines are popular items for their aesthetics. The engine is hidden within the inner cavity defined by the deck and the hull. In a typical configuration of such watercraft, the engine is positioned in the stern of the watercraft, aft of the passenger-receiving area. An engine cover is provided on the deck for access to the motor, for maintenance or repair. The engine cover is a panel removable from or hinged to the deck. The engine cover has a relatively large size, so as to provide sufficient space for the engine to be accessed and attended to in instances of repair.

The free space between the engine and the closed engine cover has been used to create storage volume. Storage trays used in this storage space typically consist of a panel having storage trays formed therein. The panel is hung onto the deck for the storage trays to occupy the free space between the engine and the closed engine cover. Accordingly, the storage trays are accessed by opening the engine cover. The panel of storage trays is removable so as to access the engine of the watercraft.

The additional storage provided by these storage trays is quite convenient in that space is limited on a watercraft. Moreover, the configuration of such storage trays allows items to be kept out of the sun, in the shade of the engine cover. The engine cover represents a non-negligible portion of the watercraft area. To optimize the use of the surface of a watercraft, it has been known to adapt engine covers into passenger-receiving areas. For instance, engine covers in some watercraft models have been shaped into seating or lying surfaces.

While being convenient, engine cover storage is to some extent impractical. The engine cover is relatively large and requires some effort to be opened. The engine cover must be free of objects or passengers to be opened.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is an aim of an aspect of the present invention to provide a novel engine cover storage configuration.

It is a further aim of an aspect of the present invention that the engine cover storage configuration provides isolated compartment access.

It is a still further aim of an aspect of the present invention that the engine cover storage configuration is accessed by a passenger on the engine cover.

Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an engine cover assembly for a watercraft of the type having an engine access opening, comprising: an engine cover operatively connected to a watercraft, so as to be displaceable between an engine cover closed position in which the engine cover shuts the engine access opening, and an engine cover opened position in which the engine cover is away from the engine access opening to allow access to the engine access opening, the engine cover having at least one cover opening for accessing the engine access opening; a first door operatively connected to the engine cover, so as to be displaceable between a first door closed position in which the first door shuts at least a first portion of the cover opening in the engine cover, and a first door opened position in which the first door is away from the cover opening for allowing access to the engine access opening; a second door operatively connected to the engine cover, so as to be displaceable between a second door closed position in which the second door shuts at most a second portion of the cover opening in the engine cover, and a second door opened position in which the second door is away from the cover opening for allowing access to the engine access opening.

Further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a watercraft of the type having a hull, a deck connected to the hull, an engine in an engine compartment, a propulsion system and an engine access opening for accessing the engine compartment, comprising an engine cover operatively connected to the watercraft, so as to be displaceable between an engine cover closed position in which the engine cover shuts the engine access opening, and an engine cover opened position in which the engine cover is away from the engine access opening for allowing access to the engine access opening, the engine cover having at least a first cover opening for accessing the engine access opening; a first door operatively connected to the engine cover, so as to be displaceable between a first door closed position in which the first door shuts at least a first portion of the first cover opening in the engine cover, and a first door opened position in which the first door is away from the first cover opening for allowing access to the engine access opening; and a second door operatively connected to the engine cover, so as to be displaceable between a second door closed position in which the second door shuts at most a second portion of the first cover opening in the engine cover, and a second door opened position in which the second door is away from the first cover opening for allowing access to the engine access opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration a preferred embodiment thereof and in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a watercraft having an engine cover constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view, from a fore and port standpoint, of the watercraft showing the engine cover in an opened positioned;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view, from an aft and port standpoint, of the watercraft showing the engine cover in the opened position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the engine cover having a starboard door in an opened position and a port door in a closed position;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the engine cover having the starboard and the port doors in their respective opened positions; and

FIG. 6 is a partly fragmented exploded view of a stern end of the watercraft having the engine cover removed, illustrating a storage tray panel, constructed in accordance with the present invention, to be received in an engine access opening.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, a watercraft having an engine cover constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is generally shown at 10. The watercraft 10 has a bow B, a stern S, a port side P and a starboard side D. The watercraft 10 has two main parts, namely a hull 12 defining an underside of the watercraft 10, and a deck 14. The hull 12 buoyantly supports the watercraft 10 on the water. The deck 14 has a recessed passenger area 16 designed to accommodate passengers. An inner cavity (not shown) is defined between the hull 12 and the deck 14, and the engine 18 of the watercraft 10 is received therein, at the stern S of the watercraft 10, as well a propulsion system (not shown). The watercraft 10 is a jet-powered boat, and may have more than one engine. An engine cover 20 is positioned generally above the engine 18, and between the passenger area 16 and the stern S of the watercraft 10, so as to selectively provide access to the engine, for repair or maintenance. Seating 19 is positioned at a rear end of the recessed passenger area 16, adjacent and forward to the engine cover 20.

In FIG. 1, the engine cover 20 is in its closed position on the deck 14. In this closed position, the engine cover 20 is sealingly positioned on the deck 14 so as to substantially prevent water from entering the inner cavity of the watercraft 10. In the closed position, the engine cover 20 defines a sundeck 21 outside of normal passenger area 16, whereupon passengers may sit or lie when the watercraft 10 is idle.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the engine cover 20 is shown in its opened position. The engine cover 20 has a base structure 22 and a top panel 23, fixed to a top end of the base structure 22. The base structure 22 has a hollow body, for instance consisting of the same material as the deck 14 (e.g., fiberglass) or other suitable material (e.g., plastic). In FIG. 2, an underside of the top panel 23 is visible through the hollow body of the base structure 22. The base structure 22 is pivotally mounted to the deck 14 by hinges 24 (FIG. 2). The rotation axis of the hinges is generally transverse to a central longitudinal axis of the watercraft 10. Although the base structure 22 is shown pivotally mounted at its rear end to the deck 14, it is contemplated to pivotally connect the front end of the base structure 22 to the deck 14, rather than the rear end.

The engine cover 20 is latched to the deck 14, by a latching mechanism (not shown) in the deck 14 cooperating with a latch stud 25 on an underside 31 of the base structure 22. The latch mechanism of the deck 14 is, for instance, remotely triggered by a lever positioned at the driver's seat of the watercraft 10, or in a lockable compartment (e.g., glove compartment). It is preferred that the latch mechanism be lockable to lock the engine cover 20 to the deck 14. Cylinders 26D and 26P (FIG. 2) are provided to maintain the engine cover 20 in its opened position, but retract under manual force for the engine cover 20 to be closed. It is pointed out that like elements positioned on opposed sides of the watercraft 10 will be affixed with letters “D” and “P” in the figures to indicate the starboard side or the port side (e.g., cylinders 26D and 26P). Grab handles 27 (FIG. 3) are conveniently positioned on a stern-facing portion of the base structure 22, and on the deck 14 at the stern S of the watercraft 10.

An engine access opening 28 (FIG. 3) is defined in the deck 14, and the inner cavity and the engine of the watercraft 10 may be accessed therethrough. A ledge 30 (FIG. 3) bounds the engine access opening 28 (FIG. 3). A storage tray panel, as illustrated at 29 in FIG. 6, is held onto the ledge 30 and a flange 30A in the engine access opening 28, so as to block the engine access opening 28. A seal 29A (fragmented in FIG. 6) may be provided to seal the contact surfaces between the storage tray panel 29 and the engine access opening 28. An insulator layer 29B (fragmented in FIG. 6) may be provided on an underside of the storage tray panel to form a heat barrier between the engine compartment and a tray 29D of the storage tray panel. The storage tray panel is simply supported by gravity. The storage tray panel may alternatively have a pair of trays (e.g., a port tray and a starboard tray). Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the underside 31 of the base structure 22 has a gasket 32 (FIG. 2) that will be seated onto the ledge 30 when the engine cover 20 is in its closed position. The ledge 30 and the gasket 32 cooperate to substantially prevent water from infiltrating the inner cavity of the watercraft 10.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the sundeck 21 has the top panel 23 and doors 36D and 36P supported by the top panel 23. The doors 36D and 36P are separated from one another at a central longitudinal axis of the watercraft 10. The doors 36D and 36P can be opened so as to access the storage trays supported in the engine access opening 28 (FIG. 3). However, in FIGS. 1 and 3, the doors 36D and 36P are in their closed position. The doors 36D and 36P each typically consist of a rigid base (e.g., plastic) supporting a cushion or cushions.

Referring to FIG. 5, the doors 36D and 36P are shown in their opened position with respect to the top panel 23. The top panel 23 has openings 38D and 38P. The openings 38D and 38P provide access to the inside of the base structure 22, and hence to the storage trays supported in the engine access opening 28 (FIG. 3) or to the inner cavity of the watercraft 10 in the absence of a storage tray panel. Alternatively, the top panel 23 may have a single large opening (not shown) rather than the openings 38D and 38P, that would be partially covered by either one of the doors 36D and 36P.

The doors 36D and 36P are pivotally mounted to the top panel 23 by hinges 40D and 40P, respectively. Cylinders 42D and 42P are respectively provided for maintaining the doors 36D and 36P in their opened position, but retract under manual force for the doors 36D and 36P to be closed. Gaskets 44D and 44P are provided on the undersides of the doors 36D and 36P, respectively. The gaskets 44D and 44P ensure a generally watertight relation between the doors 36D and 36P, respectively, and the top panel 23, such that water is substantially prevented from entering the inner cavity of the watercraft 10 through the openings 38D and 38P, when the doors 36 are in their respective closed positions.

In FIG. 4, the door 36P is shown in its closed position with respect to the top panel 23, whereas the door 36D is in its opened position. The door 36D has a pair of locking mechanisms. Firstly, a latch mechanism 46 is positioned on the underside of the door 36D and cooperates with a latch stud 48 on the top panel 23. The latch stud 48 is positioned in a recess 49 in the top panel 23, in which the latch mechanism 46 is accommodated when the door 36D is in its closed position. The latch mechanism 46 can be released by a flexible handle 50 thereof. The handle 50 emerges from between the doors 36D and 36P when same are closed (FIGS. 1 and 3) to be pulled for opening the door 36D. The recess 49 is provided with drain holes to drain water out of the recess 49, to substantially prevent accumulation of water therein.

Secondly, a slide bolt 52 is also positioned on the underside of the door 36D. The slide bolt 52 cooperates with a catch 53 provided on the periphery of the opening 38D in the top panel 23. The slide bolt 52 can only be triggered to lock/unlock the door 36D to/from the top panel 23 from an inside of the base structure 22. Accordingly, the slide bolt 52 can be used to lock the door 36D to the top panel 23. As the base structure 22 is preferably lockable onto the deck 14, as mentioned previously, the door 36D can be locked to the top panel 23 for restricted access to the storage trays through the door 36D.

Referring to FIG. 5, the door 36P has a tab 54. The tab 54 extends planar with the underside of the door 36P beyond an edge 55 of the door 36P. The tab 54 has a groove 56 that is in register with the latch stud 48 of the top panel 23 when the door 36P is in its closed position, so as not to interfere with the latch mechanism 46. The tab 54 will extend partly under the door 36D when both doors 36 are in their respective closed positions. Accordingly, the door 36P cannot be opened unless the door 36D has been previously opened. As the door 36D is lockable to the top panel 23 with the slide bolt 52, the door 36P is also locked to the top panel 23.

Referring to FIG. 5, the top panel 23 has gutters 58D and 58P formed therein, so as to guide water off the top panel 23. Other gutters may be provided on the top panel 23, to substantially prevent water from pooling thereon.

It is contemplated to provide each of the doors 36D and 36P with its own latch mechanism 46. In such an embodiment, both doors 36D and 36P could be opened separately, as opposed to the previously described embodiment. It is also contemplated to provide each of the doors 36D and 36P with its own slide bolt 52. Ultimately, each of the doors 36D and 36P may each have an own latch mechanism 46 and an own slide bolt 52.

Each of the openings 38D and 38P may be provided with an individual storage tray panel (not shown). These individual storage tray panels could be hung on the periphery of the openings 38D and 38P, similarly to the positioning of the storage tray panel 29 in the engine access opening 28 in FIG. 6.

It is appreciated that the above described preferred embodiment of the engine cover 20 is practical in that a person seated on the door 36P can have access to one of the storage trays under the engine cover 20. However, it is also contemplated to provide the hinges on other edges of the doors 36D and 36P. The above described configuration allows for a single latch mechanism (i.e., the latch mechanism 46) to be used while nonetheless having both doors 36D and 36P lockable onto the base structure 22, by way of the tab 54. 

1. A cover assembly for a watercraft having an access opening, comprising: a cover movably connectable to the watercraft, so as to be movable between a cover closed position in which the cover covers the access opening, and a cover opened position in which the cover allows access to the access opening, the cover having at least one cover opening therein allowing access to the access opening when the cover is in the cover closed position; a first door movably connected to the cover, so as to be movable between a first door closed position in which the first door covers at least a first portion of the cover opening, and a first door opened position in which the first door allows access to the cover opening for allowing access to the access opening; a second door movably connected to the cover, so as to be movable between a second door closed position in which the second door covers at least a second portion of the cover opening, and a second door opened position in which the second door allows access to the cover opening for allowing access to the access opening.
 2. The cover assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first door and the second door are pivotally mounted to the cover, with a pivot axis of each of the doors being generally parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the watercraft.
 3. The cover assembly according to claim 2, wherein the pivot axes of the doors are respectively spaced from the central longitudinal axis of the watercraft, such that the doors are openable generally away from the central longitudinal axis of the watercraft.
 4. The cover assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an cover latch for latching the cover to the watercraft.
 5. The cover assembly according to claim 4, further comprising a lock for locking the first door in the first door closed position and the second door in the second door closed position, the lock being accessible only when the cover is in the cover opened position.
 6. The cover assembly according to claim 5, wherein the lock has a slide bolt locking the first door in the first door closed position, and a tab at the second door cooperating with the first door so as to be retained in the second door closed position when the first door is in the first door closed position.
 7. The cover assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a door latch being actuatable for releasing the first door from the first door closed position.
 8. The cover assembly according to claim 7, wherein the latch is actuated by a handle protruding from a space between the first door and the second door.
 9. The cover assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first door and the second door form a sundeck when in their respective closed positions.
 10. The cover assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cover opening comprises two cover openings, with the first door covering a first one of the cover openings in the first door closed position, and the second door covering a second one of the cover openings in the second door closed position.
 11. A watercraft having a hull, a deck connected to the hull, a compartment defined between the hull and the deck, and an access opening for accessing the compartment, comprising: an cover movably connected to the watercraft, so as to be movable between a cover closed position in which the cover covers the access opening, and a cover opened position in which the cover allows access to the access opening, the cover having at least a first cover opening therein allowing access to the access opening when the cover is in the cover closed position; a first door movably connected to the cover, so as to be movable between a first door closed position in which the first door covers at least a first portion of the first cover opening, and a first door opened position in which the first door allows access to the first cover opening for allowing access to the access opening; and a second door movably connected to the cover, so as to be movable between a second door closed position in which the second door covers at least a second portion of the first cover opening, and a second door opened position in which the second door allows access to the first cover opening for allowing access to the access opening.
 12. The watercraft according to claim 11, further comprising a storage compartment accessible from the access opening, such that the storage compartment is accessible by any one of the cover being in the cover opened position, the first door being in the first door opened position, and the second door being in the second door opened position.
 13. The watercraft according to claim 12, wherein the storage compartment has a storage tray panel held in the access opening.
 14. The watercraft according to claim 11, further comprising a second cover opening in the cover, with the second door covering the second cover opening in the second door closed position, and allowing access to the second cover opening in the second door opened position for allowing access to the access opening.
 15. The watercraft according to claim 11, wherein the first door and the second door define a sundeck when in their respective closed positions.
 16. The watercraft according to claim 11, wherein the first door and the second door are pivotally mounted to the cover, with a pivot axis of each of the doors being generally parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the watercraft.
 17. The watercraft according to claim 16, wherein the pivot axes of thee doors are respectively spaced from the central longitudinal axis of the watercraft, such that the doors are openable generally away from the central longitudinal axis of the watercraft.
 18. The watercraft according to claim 11, wherein the second door has a tab cooperating with the first door so as to be retained in the second door closed position when the first door is in the first door closed position.
 19. The watercraft according to claim 18, further comprising a latch for latching the first door in the first door closed position.
 20. The watercraft according to claim 18, further comprising a lock for locking the first door in the first door closed position. 